[AfricaRealities.com] Re: [rwanda_revolution] Rwanda: Green Party alone opposes removal of term limits.

 

 

Green Party alone opposes removal of term limits - News

Rwanda's only opposition party has petitioned parliament not to amend the Constitution to remove the term limits for presidents, even as the House continued to receive petitions calling for an amendment.

A statement released by the Democratic Green Party of Rwanda (DGPR) reiterated its opposition to any change to the Constitution regarding presidential term limits.

"The Democratic Green Party of Rwanda is fully convinced that it's important to respect the Constitution in order to allow a peaceful transfer of power as it ensures sustainable peace, democratic culture, rule of law and development," said the statement signed by party president Frank Habineza.

Mr Habineza said altering the Constitution to remove term limits will be against the achievements the country has registered since the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi.

Speaker Donatille Mukabalisa said they were accepting all views on the matter.

"Everyone is free to come. The doors are open; all Rwandans are free to express themselves. It is not true that we are receiving petitions from one side," she told The EastAfrican.

More than two million Rwandans have petitioned parliament to amend the Constitution, with some 150,000 requests coming in last week.

Ms Mukabalisa said parliament will discuss the matter when it resumes on June 5.

"The House will table the issue and discuss how best the demands of the people can be addressed. One option is to conduct a referendum so that people can vote on the issue. They have spoken through the petitions, but there are other ways set out by the law under which the Constitution can be amended on contentious issues like this one," Ms Mukabalisa said.

The petitions streamed in, with members of the business community through the Private Sector Federation (PSF) leading the way last week.

PSF chair Benjamin Gasamagera said President Kagame has not only been behind socio-economic transformation during his tenure, but is also a pro-business leader who oversaw major reforms.

"Many of our members, as in other sectors of the country, have been asking us to do something as far as this issue of removing term limits is concerned. The board convened and decided to write to parliament requesting to deliver the signatures. Our reasons are really simple. President Kagame, at the helm, has seen the business sector grow. But above all, he is pro-development; he promoted unity and reconciliation as well as social cohesion. The achievements of the business community under him are many," said Mr Gasamagera.

Rwanda's private sector is largely dominated by and closely controlled by the ruling party, the Rwanda Patriotic Front (RPF), which runs the biggest business ventures in the country. Most successful business entities are closely linked to the party through their owners or controllers.

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Posted by: Jean Bosco Sibomana <sibomanaxyz999@gmail.com>

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The hate of men will pass, and dictators die, and the power they took from the people will return to the people. And so long as men die, liberty will never perish.
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